crime

/ˈkrīm/

Middle English, "wrongdoing, sin," borrowed from Anglo-French, going back to Latin crīmin-, crīmen "accusation, charge, indictment, source of an accusation, misdeed, offense," probably from crī-, variant stem of cernere "to sift, discern, decide, determine" + -men, resultative noun suffix (probably originally "decision," then "judicial decision, indictment")

noun

  1. an illegal act for which someone can be punished by the government; especially : a gross violation of law

  2. a grave offense especially against morality

  3. criminal activity

offense sin vice crime scandal mean a transgression of law. offense applies to the infraction of any law, rule, or code. sin implies an offense against moral or religious law.

noun phrase

  1. atrocity (such as extermination or enslavement) that is directed especially against an entire population or part of a population on specious grounds and without regard to individual guilt or responsibility even on such grounds

noun phrase

  1. sodomy